| Summary : The built and buried remains of Waltham Abbey. Evidence suggests it may have been founded in 1030, possibly earlier. The church was rebuilt in 1060, however other sources suggest that this took place in the early 12th century. It is the nave of this church which remains in use today. The church was refounded as an Augustinian priory in 1177 and an abbey in 1184. The abbey was dissolved in 1540, the last in the area to be surrendered, and the presbytery, transepts and crossing were demolished soon after. The cloister had adjoined the presbytery to the north and the refectory occupied the north part of the range. A hospital was also built within the precincts circa 1218. A gatehouse, bridge and fishponds are all that remain of the domestic buildings. The site also contains the remains of a house built following the Dissolution. |
More information : TL 38270066 Waltham Abbey (NR) (Augustinian Canons. Founded AD 1184) (NAT). (1)
The Abbey, originally founded in the reign of Cnut as a church for two priests was refounded by Harold as a secular college in 1060.
Reconstituted by Henry II as an Augustinian Priory in 1177, and designated an Abbey in 1184, it was finally dissolved in 1540. (2)
Waltham Abbey, parish church, monastic buildings, fish ponds etc. Excavations of the site of the Abbey Church (see TL 30 SE 132) have revealed the foundations of a long presbytery, central tower and trancepts extending east from the nave. The nave always formed the parish church and survives as the Church of Holy Cross and St Lawrence (see TL 30 SE 125). The church is an imposing fragment of one of the richest and most important monastic establishments in the country.
The parish church formed the nave of a secular college founded by Harold and dedicated in 1060 but reconsituted by Henry II as an Augustinian Priory in 1177 and as an Abbey in 1184.
The domestic buildings of the abbey lay to the north and north-east of the church. Remains include the east and north walls of the 12th century cloister, part of a 12th century building to the east of the cloister, a passage with two bays at the east end of the cloister and fragments of an adjacent building (possibly the frater). A hospital was built within the abbey precinct circa 1218.
The precinct wall is mostly destroyed, a length of 16th century wall survives to the east of the church. (see Authority 3 for a full description and plans) (3)
The nave of the Abbey Church, now the Parish Church is in normal use. The Abbey site is under the care of the MOW who did excavations here in 1959 in an attempt to recover the plan. Excavation on their behalf is still in progress at the east end of the church under the direction of Mr L F Puddephatt (6a).
For a plan of the Abbey remains see OS card (TL 30 SE 8), for details of 'Abbey House' (see TL 30 SE 9). Published 25" survey of the Abbey Fishponds revised. (4-6)
Excavations in 1967 and 1970-72 by DOE, Essex Arch Soc and Waltham Abbey Historical Society concentrated on the cloister area and the area of the Grange yard (see plan) threatened by roadworks. (See also TL 30 SE 59-79, 125-131 for details of individual buildings). (7)
The town of Waltham Abbey (TL 30 SE 124) with its monastic settlement, lies on a gravel terrace to the east of the river Lea. The Abbey was situated at the east end of a causeway across the marshes from Cheshunt. Waltham Grange (TL 30 SE 126) lies to the north-east of the Abbey precinct and the outer close called Veresmead (TL 30 SE 127) lies directly north of the precinct.
The 1970-72 excavations found evidence for pre-monastic occupation of the site (see TL 30 SE 5, 49, 129, 31), the foundations of the cloister walls and the apse were located. Saxo-Norman occupation and Medieval and post-Medieval buildings, including a forge, were excavated. (8) There has been no formal excavation of the cloister site since 1972. Excavations of the forge continued in 1972-3, completing the DOE excavations in 1972 by A Havercroft. (see TL 30 SE 69) (9,10)
During trial excavations by Waltham Abbey Hist Society in 1974, a rare example of a stone carved Madonna and Child, originally from the Lady Chapel was found in area TL 38280061. Dated to circa 1380, it had been mutilated in antiquity and deliberately buried (11a). The details of the Norman church choir and the cloister court perimeter, revealed by excavation, is now depicted by concrete paving.
Choir and cloister detail surveyed at 1:1250. Abbey Fishponds - Published survey (1:1250) revised. (11)
The Augustinian canons of Waltham Abbey benefited from Henry II's penance following Becket's murder. He spent heavily on the buildings, which contained a shrine with a fragment of the True Cross. A stone mould for casting cross-shaped ampullae inscribed in Latin, 'Sign of the Holy Cross of Waltham', was found at Coleman Street in London and is in the collection of the Museum of London. (12)
History of the Augustinian Canons of Waltham. (13)
History of Waltham Abbey. (14)
See source for details. (15)
King Harold, the last Anglo-Saxon king is buried at Waltham Abbey. His father, Harold Godwin, Earl of Wessex, refounded the church there in 1030 after apparently being cured of paralysis following his prayers before the Holy Rood or Cross at Waltham. In the early 12th century it was rebuilt again and it's the nave of this third church which remains in use today. The church was refounded as an Augustinian priory, later an abbey, in 1177 and it became one of the richest and most important in the country. It was one of the last monastic houses in the area to be dissolved and was granted to the Denny family in 1540. The remains of the post-medieval house built on the site are still evident. As well as the west and south walls of the gatehouse and the bridge leading to it, the only built remnants of the domestic buildings are parts of the cloister and the chapter house walls. See source for further details. (16)
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